The Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Signal Transduction by Engineered Extracellular Matrices was established in 2000 and has become the premier meeting at the intersection of bioengineering and stem cell biology. In 2010, the Gordon-Kenan Research Seminar (GRS) on Signal Transduction by Engineered Extracellular Matrices was initiated and now accompanies the GRC on the topic. The 2016 meeting, to be held June 26-July 1 at the University of New England in ME, emphasizes important new directions: integration of computational and experimental developmental and systems biology with design principles for synthetic matrices, and an expansion of the ECM spectrum to include mucus. The meeting Chair will be Dr. Linda Griffith and the Vice-Chair will be Dr. Sarah Heilshorn. The scientific objective of the conference will be to share the newest research on: the development and regulation of cellular microenvironments; the control of individual and collective cell functions by engineered microenvironments; the development of advanced and dynamic materials; and application of such insights to human clinical therapies directly (regenerative medicine) or indirectly (in vitro models of human disease). Thus, this meeting necessarily brings together researchers in diverse fields of biology (including stem cell and developmental biology), chemistry, systems biology and engineering for both the understanding of cellular function and how this can be harnessed for the repair and replacement of tissues lost or damaged due to disease or injury, which serves to encourage cross-disciplinary thinking. Speakers will include well-established leaders in the field as well as young emerging investigators, including those that are invited to present based on abstract submissions. The main conference will also be preceded by a weekend meeting planned by and for pre-doctoral and post-doctoral trainees in this growing interdisciplinary field. This pre-meeting, the Gordon-Kenan Graduate Research Seminar, will provide a forum for these future leaders in the field to present their work in talks and posters, in a collegial and interactive environment that will add outstanding value to their overall GRC experience. Overall, the meeting will provide a platform for the development of long term interdisciplinary interactions, and expose students and young professionals to the latest ideas and opportunities at the confluence of signal transduction, molecular and cellular biology, biomaterials and tissue engineering.